Quinn wants special session, vows construction halt

At issue is a measure that gives Quinn the authority to continue to spend money for the state’s building program. Legislators left town last week without sending the bill to Quinn after Senate Democrats tacked on an additional $430 million in spending for education and social services.

The idea was to force House lawmakers to go along with the extra spending lest they put construction projects in danger during ribbon-cutting season back home. But House members rejected that idea, arguing they gave Quinn the power to fund the projects through the end of the year.

Quinn argued Monday that he can only pay for bills incurred before July 1, when the state’s new budget year starts. Projects that could be stopped include construction on Wacker Drive and the Congress Parkway bridge as well as building at university campuses across the state.

The governor also wants to spend more money to avoid budget cuts to education and social services. That leaves some critics contending that Quinn’s threat to stop construction and lay off 52,000 workers is a ploy to get extra money.

“This has the potential to sort of be a manufactured crisis,” said state Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine. “The Senate Democrats and the governor can’t help but spend more money, and this is an opportunity to spend an extra half-billion dollars, and they are trying to maximize the leverage to get it in the budget.”

House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego said Quinn only needs to call the Senate into session, then have senators drop their request for the extra money and the bill will be on the governor’s desk.

“We don’t need to get real fancy about this as long as people don’t try to connect the new spending and capital (construction projects),” Cross said.

Steve Brown, a spokesman for Democratic Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago, said the House is “ready to work cooperatively with the governor” but added there is “no need for the layoffs that’s being talked about” because lawmakers gave Quinn an extra six months to pay bills in another measure.

Democratic Senate President John Cullerton of Chicago supports Quinn’s call for lawmakers to return, saying the matter isn’t just about road, school and bridge projects.

“We need to come back this summer because our work is not done,” said Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon. “Without sufficient funding for education and human services, the budget is incomplete.”